Easter is coming!

Last Easter I hunted out for the best Chocolate Hot Cross Bun recipe. The hubby isn't a fan of traditional hot cross buns (gasp!) so I thought I would start a new tradition for chocolate ones (as if we don't have enough chocolate over Easter haha!).

I came across this recipe here from Devonport Chocolates. It is DIVINE! Absolutely amazing, and you get these beautiful, soft, light buns. Haven't yet made them this year (too early to get into Easter just yet), but I will share with you the picture from last year which was my very first go at making them. The photo really doesn't do them justice, you really need to try them for yourself!

Choc Cross Buns

Bun

1 1/2 cups warm milk

2x 8g sachets of dried yeast

pinch of salt

5 cups flour

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Cocoa

60g Butter

1 egg

1 cup 56% cocoa solids chocolate drops

Crosses

1/2 cup plain flour

1 Tbsp Cocoa

1/3 cup Water

Glaze

1/3 cup water

2 Tbsp Sugar

Buns:

Combine milk, yeast, salt and a pinch of sugar in a bowl. Whisk together and cover with plastic wrap.

Put in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until top is frothy. (Mine only had a very light froth).

Sift flour, cocoa and cinnamon together into a large bowl. Lightly beat the egg, melt butter and add to

the flour mix along with the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until dough is nearly together then mix the rest of the way with hands.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth.

Place into a lightly oiled or buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.

Punch down dough to its original size. Add chocolate drops as you knead the dough. This does take some work. Knead dough until it doesn’t separate immediately when pulled and is satiny in texture.

(I kneaded for approximately 15 minutes). If there are any chocolate chips left over this is a good time to eat them, while you are working.

Divide dough into 12 or more balls and put in a lamington or oven pan lined with baking paper. Place 1 cm apart. Cover with plastic wrap and put somewhere warm until they have doubled in size.

Crosses:

Mix flour, cocoa and water together. Add more water if required to make a runny paste. Put mixture in a piping bag or a zip lock bag and cut corner. Squeeze paste across buns in pan to make crosses on the top.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Bake buns for approximately 20minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Glaze:

Heat water and sugar on a low heat stirring until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes.

Brush onto buns.

Eat warm or at room temperature. Store in an air tight container.

Variations: Play around with your favourite flavours, you could add orange peel or sultanas if you like the original hot cross buns